Published June 5, 2012 at 09:17PM / Updated February 13, 2016 at 06:24PM

Brookings school district, union work on new contract

The Brookings-Harbor Education Association and the Brookings-Harbor School District reached a tentative agreement last week on a new contract.

The proposal, which is for the 2011 through 2013 school years, will be brought to the association for a vote Thursday, and will then be implemented if the association agrees to the contract.

After negotiating since September, both parties have compromised on salary, insurance, classroom preparation time and working hours.

With the most recent round of negotiations, the district said this was its final proposal.

After caucusing to discuss the offer, the association agreed to bring the proposal to its members for a vote.

"We had so much money out there on the table, and we got so little for it," association spokesperson Terri Poponi said. "We're buying back programs that we didn't need to cut. Where is the $1.3 million? (the district carryover fund).

"We hope that the negotiations will be the beginning of a new path where we can bridge the gap between us and the district.

"We're at a point now where we need to settle this and have a forward movement as a district, as one. Not 'us' against 'them.'"

Proposal Highlights:

andbull;A full calendar year has been proposed for both the 2011-2012 and the 2012-2013 school years andndash; there will be no cut days.

andbull;There will be no layoffs or reductions in work force for the 2012-2013 school year.

andbull;A 1 percent stipend will be paid to all BHEA members for the 2011-2012 school year.

andbull;All BHEA members will receive a 1.25 percent raise for the 2012-2013 school year.

andbull;All steps will be given for both years.

andbull;The insurance cap will be raised from $933.51 to $950.

andbull;Employees who work 12 months a year will receive 14 sick -leave days.

andbull;The district will provide a total of $26,000 in tuition reimbursement programs for licensed members.

andbull;Teachers in grades kindergarten through fifth will receive a minimum of 50 minutes of preparation time per day.

andbull;Teachers in grades six through 12 will receive a minimum of one student class period of preparation time per day.

andbull;All employees being evaluated in any year must also be observed by the evaluator prior to the evaluation being written.

andbull;Merit shall be defined as any item contained within the personnel folder within the last five years.